


Captured

by curiouscat99



Category: Vinland Saga (Anime)
Genre: Barista AU, M/M, Modern AU, Other, Thornute, canufinn, canute is beautiful stan canute, coffee shop AU, mostly thorfinn pov, my goodness i wrote a fluff, ooc maybe but idc THIS IS AN AU, shut up, this is fluff btw, thorfinn is emotionally constipated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:16:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22226251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouscat99/pseuds/curiouscat99
Summary: ThorNute Barista! AU.It’s an ordinary day for Thorfinn as a new barista until one morning, a certain beauty capture his interest.Set in modern times.
Relationships: Canute/Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 74





	Captured

“One caramel macchiato!”

Thorfinn paces quickly behind the bar counter to make the customer’s order. He carefully pours the hot espresso into the measuring cup, added vanilla and then pour the espresso again on top of the frothy milk. Lastly, he drizzles the caramel on top.

His snarky facade is starting to improve ever since he started working in the coffee shop. Thorfinn is a moody person. He’s quiet and dislikes too much attention. Personality-wise, he wouldn’t fit in a workplace like this. 

“Getting used to it now, kid?” Askeladd leans on the bar counter teasingly and is rewarded by a smug.

“Shut your word hole, baldy. Mind your own business.” Thorfinn grumbles ever so quietly so none of their customers would think he is trying to pick a fight with his manager. Askeladd is the coffee shop’s manager as well as Thorfinn’s guardian ever since his father died. The boy chose to live far away from his mother and sister to earn some money and pay for his everyday living. 

Although he is treating him with a glaring lack of respect, it does not necessarily mean he hates Askeladd. He just happens to hit the boy’s nerves now and then.

Once he’s done with the latte art, Thorfinn hands the cup to the customer. 

Normally, the shop is jam-packed at this time, but it is cold outside plus the snow and that affected the numbers of their customers. Thorfinn and his coworkers did their work in peace with occasional chit-chat as a bossa nova music plays in the background, a mesmerizing melody in a quiet morning. There are five customers inside the shop in three different tables. It looks like they won’t have newly arrived customers for an hour or so and the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the cold weather is making him sleepy. Thorfinn decides to clean the furniture around. It is a Viking-inspired coffee shop and there are numbers of Viking paraphernalia here and there (he heard from Askeladd that the owner is a big fan of Viking sagas)

While he is taking out a rag, Bjorn - their cashier, left the counter and goes to the comfort room. 

He started wiping the vintage photographs placed around the wall which made the place look like a mini art museum dedicated to Vikings. And as a part of the Viking coffee shop image, the staffs are all men that according to Thorfinn would pass as hooligans.

The white daffodils sitting at the center of the mahogany-colored round tables add intensity to the already aesthetically pleasing shop. Thorfinn is arranging the decorations neatly when the bronze butterfly door chime clinks, immediately taking his attention

Noticing how Bjorn hasn’t returned yet, Thorfinn grunts and straighten his black apron under a pure white long sleeve shirt before washing his hands and walk promptly at the counter to take the customer’s order. 

The guest is taller than him just like everyone else, wearing a red hooded jacket and dark denim pants.

The customer is eyeing at the cakes and loaves of bread inside the glass cabinet and Thorfinn waits patiently. He starts to feel skeptical about how awkward he is in taking orders. Askeladd once said he scares most people and it’s a saving grace that his skills as a barista are exactly what they needed. Otherwise, Thorfinn has no real reason to stay employed in the shop.

“Yes, miss?” He asks after a while. He practiced to maintain eye contact with the customers when talking to them - a thing he’s very bad at. Inside his head is Askeladd’s voice muttering _‘don’t look at them as if you’re asking for their livers!’_

Thorfinn heard a stifle of laughter coming from the customer and is now confused. All he did was to show he’s attentive, right? That is his _damned_ job, to display enthusiasm in servicing their guests (he once received a long-ass lecture from Bjorn about this). He is sure he did nothing laughable in the past five seconds of him waiting to take an order. Until the said customer removed the hood of **_his_ ** jacket and swipe **_his_ ** hair. 

At that moment, Thorfinn wanted to jump off the nearest window yet he remained glued on the spot with the extremely embarrassing revelation that he called a male customer ‘miss’.

His long, blond hair complements his sapphire eyes. Before Thorfinn realize it, his jaw is left hanging, stupefied by a rare beauty. He’s a guy yet he can pass as a girl anytime. No, scratch that - he’s the most beautiful creature he has ever laid his eyes on. 

“It’s been a while, Canute!”

Askeladd appears from the back greeting the customer with a light tap on the shoulder. The two casually talk about things Thorfinn couldn’t quite grasp. Still bothered by the fact he mistook their customer as a lady. His face is starting to get ashen pale when Bjorn came back and Thorfinn returns on his spot wordlessly.

“You’re pale as a ghost, anything happened?” Bjorn asks concernedly as it is the first time he has seen Thorfinn acting like a jumpy rabbit. The boy did not respond and only focus on his work. 

“By the way Canute, this is Thorfinn, our new barista. Thorfinn, this is Canute.”

Thorfinn pauses and has his eyes pinned at Canute, dumbly blinking at him back at Askeladd. It took him a couple of seconds before his manager’s words seep into his mind.

“Manners, Thorfinn.” Askeladd’s eyebrow twitches and Thorfinn gulps before talking.

“I am Thorfinn,” he says.

“N-nice to meet you.” Canute greets back with a smile that is brighter than Thorfinn’s future. 

Canute ordered a cafe latte and chocolate cake. As Bjorn punched his order, Askeladd proudly told him that Thorfinn is a good latte artist. Thorfinn is startled a bit but tried his best not to show it, hands trembling with indignation because how dare the old geezer to pressure him like this. 

“Really?” Canute asks shyly. “Then..can you make a r-rabbit art for me?”

Askeladd smiles triumphantly from behind like a proud father as Thorfinn froze on the spot. _Ah dammit._ After mistaking him for a girl, he doesn’t know how to make amends and hopes that it will someday be forgotten by Canute.

Canute sits on the high bar stool while watching Thorfinn make his latte art. The shorter teenager is tensed as shit, carefully drawing a rabbit on Canute’s drink. 

“That’s so cute!” 

Thorfinn’s hand, however, slips when Canute made a shrill of joy with big blue eyes.

“I-I'm sorry..” Canute apologizes and Thorfinn pauses when the other male looks away to play with his hair instead so the barista could make his work properly. 

No words came after Thorfinn handed his cup of latte.

When Canute sits on the corner table of the shop, Thorfinn turns to Bjorn.

“Is he a regular?” he inquires. Bjorn who is leaning on the counter table has his eyes wide as a saucer.

“Are you kidding me?!” he hisses. “Canute is the owner’s son, you dimwit. Didn’t Askeladd tell you that?” 

Thorfinn flinches before glancing at Canute then back to Bjorn. Great. Now he mistook not just a customer as a girl but also the coffee shop’s son!

* * *

Canute frequents the cafe in the following days. He usually comes early in the morning or at noon with his books placed around the wooden table. There is a particular corner that he likes; the left side of the shop with a small peach sofa and a low table beside a grandfather clock. Ordering a cup of hot cafe latte was the usual and Thorfinn found himself getting familiar with him.

One snowy morning where there are fewer customers than normal, Thorfinn is cleaning cups when his eyes catch Canute entering in the same fashion. Canute walks to the bar counter seemingly looking for someone.

“Askeladd is out with the others,” Thorfinn says while washing the utensils. Canute looks at him before sitting on the nearest stool. 

Only the clinking of ceramic cups and the low music in the background could be heard. Canute clasps his hands nervously, pushing himself to say something to fill the uncomfortable silence. He watches while Thorfinn paces back and forth arranging the cups and saucers on the cabinet.

“Umm, I heard..you’re the same age as me.” Canute tries to strike a conversation nervously. Being an introverted person who is always surrounded by books makes him a failure in socializing. But he is curious and ever since they first met, he has always been wanting to talk with Thorfinn. However, the lad has the aura of a workaholic and Canute wonder if he will entertain him. 

“I am.” Thorfinn replies in a rather hasty manner and quickly realize the hole in that statement.

“You know of my age?” Canute pokes his head on his side.

The other male makes an awkward jolt, eyes growing in size as he looks straight in Canute. 

“Askeladd happened to tell me..” _son of a bitch_. Thorfinn curses himself inwardly but relieved that at the very least, Canute won’t think that he’s been secretly doing some background check by knowing his age. 

“Oh, I see,” the taller blond replies. “Thorfinn, where did you learn how to make latte art?”

Thorfinn seems to be caught off guard by the question but answers anyway. 

“From my father.”

“Is he also a barista?”

“Was.”

Their conversation is briefly cut off when a group of high school girls enters the shop. Thorfinn walks to the counter as the girls giggles for whatever reason. Canute, feeling that Thorfinn would have a hard time serving them by being the only one in the shop decided to help.

“I can do this,” he waves a hand, gesturing Thorfinn to return on his spot and waits for the orders. Thorfinn is about to say something but soon complies when Canute greets the customers and decided to concentrate on his craft instead. _It’s their coffee shop anyway, I’ll just let him be._

While making the drinks, Thorfinn could hear the girls speaking with Canute. For some odd reason, he feels his blood boil when one of them asks if he is single. _The fuck is wrong with teenagers nowadays? Asking someone about their relationship status when you’ve just met?_ Thorfinn curses under his breath, considering if he should put a laxative on the girl’s drink. But it will tarnish the shop’s reputation and it’s an act that will send him flying to unemployment so Thorfinn controlled whatever emotions he is feeling. Until Canute answers the question and responded with a quiet “yes”

A subtle smile appears on Thorfinn’s lips.

* * *

Canute hasn’t missed a single day in a week hanging out in the coffee shop. That’s why Thorfinn is bothered when he didn't show up one day. Amidst the busy hour with a long queue of customers waiting for their turn, even him was wondering why he still has the time to worry about it.

“Looking for someone?” Atli, their waiter, asks all of a sudden. 

Unbeknownst to him, his coworker is silently observing his wandering eyes in the sea of people inside.

Thorfinn ignored the question after glancing blankly at Atli and continued washing his hands. He is however startled seeing him smirking with a knowing smile.

“You’re always looking at that one corner like you are waiting for someone to sit and read a book after ordering a cup of cafe latte.” Atli points out as a matter of fact-ly.

“I am not.” But Thorfinn denied, eyebrows meeting in irritation as he avoids his coworker’s eyes before Thorfinn decided to ‘accidentally’ choke him to death. 

The waiter chuckled joyfully before walking to Bjorn and whispers;

“Well, someone has a crush.”

With that, Thorfinn turns his heels to face him with an astounding level of embarrassment and oh, he is blushing without him knowing it.

“Shut the fuck up!”

At the same time, the door chime clinks and their eyes turn to the incoming guest. Thorfinn’s heart raced and Atli simpered as Canute came in with his bag and goes directly on his favorite spot. 

“See?” Atli leans at the half pissed and half blushing barista.

“You look at him like he’s the last slice of cheese pizza.”

* * *

Thorfinn isn’t dense.

Grumpy yes, but never dense.

Meaning he is not insensitive. He knows when someone is having a problem mostly if the person isn’t usually this silent. He keeps on shooting glances towards Canute who sits with furrowed eyebrows staring at his phone for a good couple of minutes. He saw how Canute sighed, took his phone and then put it down again for the nth time. Until finally, he decided to order a drink. Thorfinn is quick to avoid looking to not give Canute the impression that he’s been watching him for the whole time. Bjorn punched the order of one cup of cafe latte and gave it to the barista.

“Would you like it to have latte art?” Thorfinn asks. 

Canute nods.

“What would you like?” he asked again.

“A-anything.” Canute answers with apparent sadness in his eyes which Thorfinn did not fail to notice.

While he was making the caffe latte, Thorfinn wracks his brain to think of fitting latte art for him. An idea flashed through his mind and he carefully creates it while Canute is suspiciously quiet. Usually, he will try to start a conversation, even though it will start with a stutter. 

“Coffee won’t solve your problem, princess.”

Thorfinn says and Canute thought he had misheard him. Did he just call him...princess?

“Come again?” Canute asks innocently, surprised at the term Thorfinn used to address him.

The shorter blonde puts down the cup of latte. 

“What I’m saying is,” he sighs then takes the cup again to begin the art. “You can talk to me about it.”

_What the hell am I talking about?_

Thorfinn’s mind is all over the place, unable to understand what the hell is he talking about. Even he is surprised by his own words. 

Canute stands there idly watching him with apparent confusion on his pretty face but realized that it is the first time Thorfinn indirectly said he wants to talk to him. He sits on a stool in front of Thorfinn as the barista works on his craft.

“I-it’s...about my father,” Canute opens up. He does not talk about his problems with anyone other than Ragnar but the man has duties and Canute does not want to bother him.

“What about?” Thorfinn asks without looking at him.

“He wants me to manage this shop.” he says.

The shorter blonde finished and carefully put the cup it on the tray before focusing on Canute.

“And why is that a problem?” he asks back.

Canute bows and plays with his fingers before continuing. “I..have a dream on my own. I want to have my restaurant with me as...the chef.”

Thorfinn looks at him questioningly. “You can cook?” 

Canute nods begrudgingly. 

“You’re filthy rich, you don’t need to do it.” Thorfinn comments dryly, carrying the tray and give it to Canute.

“But it is something I enjoy doing..” Canute dips his head and slightly pout. Thorfinn almost gapes at the sight of him being adorable, irresistible and yet he reminds himself that he is there to help. Perhaps he is too blunt and it offends the other.

Thorfinn puts a hand over his chin, even him when he was little used to argue over something stupid with his father. 

“Then do it.” he says.

Canute raises his head and their eyes met.

“Don’t let someone dictate you on what you should do. Prove it to yourself first then second to your father.” Thorfinn advises and it somehow lifts whatever Canute was feeling a few moments ago.

The shorter of the two turns his back and proceeds to make the next order as Canute rewinds his words. He goes back to the peach sofa with the tray of latte and is surprised to see what Thorfinn drew on it.

On the latte art is a chibi version of Canute with a smile. Thorfinn even bothered to slide a piece of tissue with a note;

_You look better when you smile like this._

* * *

“Thorfinn?”

“Hmm?”

“I want to try it.”

Thorfinn raised his head to catch his glimmering eyes, Canute smiles.

“I want to try what you’re doing.”

“Latte art?” he shakes his head. “It’s not something you can easily do.”

“But I want to try…” 

There goes Canute’s little pout that makes Thorfinn’s world internally turn upside down. His heart lurches when the other do it. Canute is beginning to be the only one he couldn’t resist. 

“I hate it when you do that, princess.” Thorfinn grunts, Canute is confused. “Fine. I’ll teach you. Come over.”

With that, Canute happily bounces behind the counter to join Thorfinn for some latte art lesson. 

Askeladd and Bjorn who are quietly observing the two are murmuring about Canute’s change of attitude. They can still remember how he avoids conversation with anyone other than them. Well, it must be because they’re of the same age, Bjorn guesses but Askeladd knows better.

Thorfinn holds a cup of espresso with one hand and tells Canute to take the small pitcher of milk. He is directing him with the basics of latte art until it goes to the part where he needs to guide the other’s soft hand in pouring the milk. Thorfinn froze on their skin contact, almost losing his concentration.

“What’s the matter, Thorfinn?” Canute asks, worrying if he is doing it wrong while Thorfinn miserably tries to pull his shit together. 

“You do it like this…”

_He smells so good dammit._

The close distance between them allowed him to get a whiff of Canute. _How dare he smells like scented primrose?_ ! A strand of loose hair falls on the side of his charming face. Thorfinn gulps. He cannot stop glancing at Canute and his exposed neck that seems inviting looking so smooth and firm. Thorfinn bit his lower lip. _Stop thinking!_ He commands himself. Canute is focusing on the art and he blinks, his long eyelashes move beautifully and that was enough.

He likes Canute. 

That’s when he realized.

“Am I doing it right?” Canute asks for his opinion of his very first latte art - a leaf. He looks satisfied with it but still, he wants to know if he did it correctly. 

Thorfinn unable to respond with the sudden awareness of his feelings, only stared vividly at the taller blond.

“It’s perfect.” Thorfinn mutters, putting the cream pitcher aside to return to work. 

Since then, everything that Canute does seems perfect.

* * *

Thorfinn waltzes sideways for a good minute before Bjorn beg him to stop. The man is having a hard time watching the boy and it’s making him dizzy. He asks him what is wrong but Thorfinn shrugs and sulks in the corner.

The boy clicked his tongue. He cannot tell anyone about it. Hell, he does not plan to tell anyone about it. But the more he sees Canute, the more they talk, the closer they get, everything is getting more difficult for him to bear his growing feelings. 

The music in the cafe became suspiciously gloomy and it only adds to the already existing frustration Thorfinn is experiencing. 

No, this cannot be happening. Thorfinn says to himself. Why is he all of a sudden affected by a song about unrequited love?! He can’t possibly be in love with Canute, isn’t he?! 

“Thorfinn!” 

He heard Canute’s voice after entering the shop. Together with him is a group of boys and girls, probably his classmates in university. Canute beams at Thorfinn and waves before joining the group to work on their school work.

* * *

“Are you avoiding me?”

Thorfinn ignores the question and continues to do his work. Dammit there are lots of customers today and the shop is soon to look like a supermarket but of all the things to happen, Canute decides to confront him.

He knows when someone is changing their behavior towards him and Canute did not turn a blind eye when Thorfinn starts to ignore him recently. He can’t remember them having an argument that would send him in a foul mood and it left him wondering.

“If...if I said something..I’m sorry…” he apologizes, voice cracking and tears starting to form from his eyes.

Thorfinn could not help but feel guilty. The guilt of hearing Canute apologize when he did nothing wrong. But he knows it is the right thing to do before he destroys whatever they have at the moment. He does not intend to make it worse than it already is.

After receiving no answer from Thorfinn, Canute spun his heels to leave.

His guilt goes to another notch. _Is this really what I want to happen?_ Thorfinn asks himself. He watches Canute’s departing back and feels his heart drops. 

And Thorfinn decided this is not what he wants. 

* * *

Little by little, he is learning to accept it - the feelings he holds for him - for Canute. Thorfinn hasn’t seen him in a week by now. At daybreak, he will busy himself with cleaning the furniture. Just like every day, he is the first one to arrive.

“Early bird, as usual, kid.” Askeladd greets and the boy only nods. The manager goes to check the counter and starts to play some old music (that according to Thorfinn is exclusively for boomers) 

“You know what they say,” Askeladd speaks, playing with a pen in his hand. “Love is in the air, and it smells like coffee.”

_What a fucking corny-ass hag._ Thorfinn rolls his eyes and acts like he did not hear him. After a few moments, he understands what Askeladd means and spun his heels to face him.

“What are you talking about?” Thorfinn snarls, eyes like daggers.

Askeladd smirks and clasps his hands. _Ah, I think I hit the wrong button._

“Just kidding,” he laughs and Thorfinn is not a bit amused. “But you know, kid, if you really want something, you should seize it. The manager proceeds to do some paperwork on the vacant table. 

Thorfinn contemplates before continuing.

“What if it doesn’t want me?” he asks, turning to face Askeladd. 

Askeladd smirks. “You’ll never know until you try.”

* * *

“Canute, I am..” Thorfinn shuffles his hair and groans loudly, unable to continue practicing what to say in case Canute magically shows up in the shop again.

It was past six in the morning and the shop will open at seven. 

_Imagine looking straight into his eyes with sincerity and stop stammering!_ He said to himself over and over and is close to giving up because holy shit, it is harder than he thought. 

His line of sight turn to the yellow daisy sitting on the table near Canute’s favorite spot. Thorfinn paces forward and imagines it to be Canute.

“Canute,” he begins and wow it works wonders because suddenly his nervousness is gone. “For the past few months of our friendship, I realized that there are many things I would like to talk with you. And…. I’m sorry for acting like I don’t care.” 

“What is it?”

His anxiety went zero to one hundred in one second. That voice, the only voice that could make him feel the indescribable feeling of combined happiness and agitation. 

Behind him is Canute carrying a lunch box. Thorfinn stops moving, unsure if he also stopped breathing.

“Canute?” Thorfinn jerks as their eyes met.

“S-sorry,” Canute whispers and his cheeks start to redden. “I made lunch for you just in case you are still...mad about something..that’s why..”

Thorfinn’s attention shifts to the food storage that Canute is holding.

“And I remember I haven’t cooked anything for you since I told you that I can--”

To his surprise, Canute found himself wrapped around Thorfinn’s arms. Shocked by his actions, Canute wants to clear some things.

“Thorfinn...what do you want to talk with me?”

Thorfinn looked at him vividly. His angelic face cast by a ray of delicate sunshine, his charming smile that can uplift a ragged spirit, his eyes that speak a thousand words and his lips - his personal favorite, Thorfinn wants to be the reason of his smile.

“The first thing you should know…”

Unlike earlier, the inkling nervousness is gone. Thorfinn leaned forward, an indication that he was going to say something critical. Canute did the same to hear him clearly until their faces are just a few inches away from each other. Canute looked away from his stare and blushed when Thorfinn touches his cheek, asking him to look at him and only him. 

“....is that I am captured.”


End file.
